Hank Mobley
Tenor Sax Solo on
No Smokin'

About

Hank Mobley follows Horace Silver with two choruses of tenor saxophone on "No Smokin'" at approximately 298 BPM, his smooth, flowing approach providing an effective contrast to Silver's intensity over the 40-bar AABA form in B-flat minor. His relaxed manner of navigating the fast-moving changes is a hallmark of his playing, the phrases unfolding with an almost effortless quality that masks the considerable technical demands of the tempo. As the second of four soloists, Mobley's two-chorus statement shifts the timbral character of the performance, his warm saxophone sound offering a different perspective between Silver's percussive piano and Art Farmer's bright trumpet.

Hank Mobley was 26 to 27 years old at the time.